Shabat Shalom. And a special Mazel Tov to the Eisenberg family and their guests.

Early last month, our friends, Jews and non Jews alike, were shocked to read in their morning papers that an American ultra Orthodox organization had declared our form of Judaism illegitimate and our religious leaders were labeled as heretics. This should not have come to a shock to members of our congregation. We have heard Rabbi Krause apprise us over the years of the anti Reform sentiment developing among Orthodox leaders and institutes in Israel, as well as in the United States. For example, The February 23, 1995 edition of the Jerusalem Post reported a comment made by Moshe Gafni, United Torah Judaism Minster of the Knesset who commented on the proposal of making the Tel Aviv religious council pluralistic. Gafni stated "Letting a Reform Rabbi sit on the Tel Aviv religious council is the equivalent of letting a terrorist into the (Army's) General Staff headquarters. The Reform are terrorists, not Rabbis." Just a year ago, Hamodia, the religious daily newspaper in Israel stated in an editorial that "Reform Jews are spiritual Nazis. The Reform movement is a quiet Holocaust, which if not stopped, will succeed in destroying the Jewish People." There are even worse statements which I have chosen not to quote from the pulpit.

The members of our congregation and of every Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist congregation around the world are in a critical battle for the survival of not only our form of Judaism, but, I truly believe the survival of the spiritual foundation of the Jewish people, which must remain the essence of the State of Israel.

I will begin my talk this evening with a brief historical perspective of today's situation in Israel and the Reform Movements policy towards Zionism. I will report on the ARZA National Assembly that was held in Washington. D.C. in early April and update you on the current situation. At the end of my talk, the Rabbi would like to say a few words and then the Cantor, the Rabbi and I would like to devote 5-10 minutes for a question/answer and discussion period.

Zionism and Judaism

The movement founded by Theodore Herzel is now celebrating its 100th anniversary. Many scholars have written on the history of this movement and our Temple's library is full of volumes on Zionism. I will take the liberty here of giving my own personal interpretation of Zionism. I acknowledge that these short words cannot do justice to understanding this concept and I recommend that anyone interested in this topic begin with reading The Zionist Idea, by Arthur Hertzberg. I define Zionism as the political movement that provided the framework to achieve the messianic promise of Redemption, the return of our people to the land of Avraham and Sarah. The return to Zion has always been central in the prayers and customs of our people during the 2,000 years since we lost our homeland. As the Rabbi mentioned last Friday night, the concept of return to Zion is included in many of our prayers and rituals such as, in the Jewish marriage ceremony. Traditional Judaism taught that the return to Zion would only take place when the Messiah arrived. Indeed, the strong desire to return to Zion produced many false Messiahs in Jewish history - especially during times of extreme persecution. During the 19th century the Jewish people were being exposed to two threats - anti Semitism as manifested in the pogroms in Russia and the option of assimilation that was chosen by an ever increasing number of Jews. Beginning with the French Revolution, the Jewish people had the first real opportunity to participate fully in the Western world. This resulted in a split in the Jewish community. Those that held closely to the traditional practices and those that felt assimilation was the solution to our dilemma. The Dreyfus Affair and the young reporter who was sent to cover the story, Theodore Herzel, convinced many that assimilation was not a viable option. While they could never have imagined the nightmare that would befall our people during the Holocaust, they predicted that only with a homeland and a 'normal' national life, would the Jewish people be able to survive - in Israel and in the diaspora.

Zionism had its detractors - the extreme Orthodox who believe only God had the 'authority' to lead us to the Promised Land and, on the other side, those Jews who were determined to assimilate 100% into the Christian society that had finally been open to them. The early Zionists were a diverse group. The major camps were the religious, the secular right wing, and the secular socialist. Although I am talking about events that took place over 100 years ago, this background is needed to understand the developments in Israel today.

Before the State of Israel was founded, a strong political structure was in place and today's major political parties in Israel trace their beginnings to the 19th century. The Labor Party and its allies, heirs to Nahum Syrkin, Ber Borochov, A.D. Gordon and David Ben Gurion, The Likud, heir to Vladimir Jabotinsky, and the Religious Parties heir to Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan and Rabbi Abraham Issac Kook.

In 1948, the Jewish People had just gone through the Holocaust and Israel had just won the War of Independence. A new government had to be formed. Theodore Herzel's World Zionist Congress provided the framework for making the transfer to Statehood and government. The clock was moving fast and many decisions had to be made quickly. We are still living with many of this early decisions. One was the role of Judaism in the life of the Israeli people and the operation of its government. Most of the early political, business and military leaders did not come from the religious camp, but were secular with little or no religious upbringing or association. Nevertheless, for political reasons they came to an agreement that left the Orthodox religious establishment in control of anything that had to do with the spiritual aspect of Judaism in the State of Israel.

For the past 50 years, the Orthodox establishment in Israel has enjoyed an exclusive contract on Judaism in the land of Israel. The result has been disastrous for our people. Judaism has always been an evolving religion where new interpretations were encouraged. The Orthodox have taken it in the opposite direction. Instead of focusing on the spiritual and ethical leanings of our religion, they have done all they can to maintain the status quo. There exists no pluralism of religious life in Israel today. The consequence is that in modern Israel the Jewish citizen has who does not elect to practice Orthodox Judaism is left with no Jewish religious life. I truly believe that, if given the choice, much of the population in Israel, especially the young, would flock to Conservative and Reform organizations. The reaction of the Orthodox today is a reaction to the obvious threat they see to their control of religious life in Israel.

Zionism and the Reform Movement

Our movement's early reaction to the Zionist Movement was very negative. Led by our founder, Rabbi Issac M. Wise, in 1898, the CCAR made the following resolution, in reaction to the First Zionist Congress:

Resolved, that we totally disapprove of any attempt for the establishment of a Jewish State. Such attempts show a misunderstanding of Israel's mission, which from the narrow political and rational held has been expanded to the promotion among the whole human race of the broad and universalist religion first proclaimed by the Jewish prophets. Such attempts do not benefit, but infinitely harm our Jewish brethren where they are still persecuted, by confirming the assertion of their enemies that the Jews are foreigners in the countries in which they are at home and of which they are everywhere the most loyal and patriotic citizens. We reaffirm that the object of Judaism is not political nor national, but spiritual, and addresses itself to the continuous growth of peace, justice and love in the human race to a messianic time when all men will recognize that they form "one great brotherhood" for the establishment of God's kingdom on earth.

This conviction continued until 1937, as the Nazis were enclosing in on our people in Europe and Great Britain was limiting immigration to Palestine, when UAHC President Rabbi Felix Levy pushed for the Columbus Platform which endorsed the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and "affirm(ed) the obligation of all Jewry to aid in its upbuilding as a Jewish homeland by endeavoring to make it not only a haven of refuge for the oppressed but also a center of Jewish culture and spiritual life."

However, after the war, there was still much disagreement within the Reform Movement as to its support of the establishment of the State of Israel. In 1946, the UAHC Biennial resolution included the following: "Because in the congregations of the Union there are divergent opinions on the questions of Zionism, the Union recognized that the right of each individual to determine his own attitude on this controversial question. Therefore, the Union as an organization, is unable to associate itself with those parts of the Palestine Resolution of the American Jewish Conference which call for exclusive Jewish control of immigration into Palestine and the establishment of a Jewish Commonwealth."

Our movement's attitude toward Israel and Zionism has changed greatly and, since the Six Day war in 1967, the Union's support for Israel has never been in doubt. In 1977, ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionist of America was formed and is our link to The Zionist Congress and Israel.

ARZA

Over the past 20 years, through ARZA, the Reform Movement in the United States has taken a very active role in the State of Israel. There are two Reform kibbutzim, Lotan and Yahel as well as Har Halutz, the Reform free enterprise settlement in northern Israel. ARZA is the founder and patron of the Israel Religious Action Center(IRAC), which fights for religious rights for Reform Jews, new immigrants and all Israelis. IRAC's office in Jerusalem includes a legal department, a legal advocacy center for new immigrants, a bureau dealing with alternative religious services and public complaints, a P.R. department and information service. The Center makes an important contribution towards promoting the ideals and values inspired by Reform Judaism. It offers the non-affiliated Israel Jew a modern alternative to enjoy the beauty of Judaism.

My son Gahl and myself were privileged to represent our congregation at the National Assembly of ARZA held in Washington, D.C. During the three day event, we were advised of the latest developments in Israel impacting the peace process and Reform Judaism in Israel. Of course, the most pressing issue was the recent first reading passing of a law in the Knesset that would further disenfranchise non-Orthodox Jews. This was a hot issue when The Israeli ambassador to the US, Eliahu Ben-Elissar addressed the meeting and tried to fight off strong criticism by stating that we need to understand the political reality in Israel, and made a plea to "unity" at any cost.

This is a crucial issue for all of us at Temple Beth El. Religious life in the State of Israel has been corrupted by the monopoly the Orthodox have held for 50 years. Israel is the only democracy in the world where Jews do not have religious freedom. While religious freedom is guaranteed to citizens of Christian, Moslem, Bahai and other faiths in Israel, Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Jews do not have the religious freedom enjoyed by all others in Israel. For example, ARZA is fighting for the recognition of Reform Jews-by-Choice in Israel.

The Israeli Jewish population has been disaffected with Judaism because they have only known the state-sanctioned Orthodox version. It is time that they have the opportunity to discover the beauty, the richness and the moral values of our faith. It is time that the Jews in Israel have true religious freedom. Given this level playing field, Progressive Judaism will surely grow in the State of Israel. Without this change, the survival of Israel's spiritual greatness is in doubt. All of us need to help fight this battle. The stake is too high to stay on the sidelines.

What Can Temple Beth El members do?

First, I urge anyone who has not already registered for the Zionist Congress to do so today. There are registrations forms in the back of the Temple. Every adult member of the Temple is permitted to register. You will receive a ballot only if you fill out the registration form and mail it back with two dollars. As the Rabbi told us last week, in an unprecedented and probably illegal decision, the registration period has been extended three weeks. This was a result of pressure from the Orthodox camp who realized that their own efforts were failing compared to the Reform and Conservative organizations. This is not good news We must fight harder. Urge other family members around the country who are members of Reform, Conservative or Reconstructionist congregations or non-affiliated to register as well. By controlling the next Zionist Congress, we will have more influence on how dollars are allocated in Israel. Gaining increased political representation in the Zionist Congress will pave the way to gain religious pluralism in Israel.

Secondly, I urge our congregation and its board to consider requesting the Orange County Jewish Federation to endorse the concept adopted by the Jewish Federation of San Francisco. Namely, to withhold money from the United Jewish Appeal and allocate it directly to institutes in Israel, based on the religious affiliations here in Orange County. This will assure that your dollars are not going to an Orthodox religious school that teaches children to hate non-Orthodox Jews and, in many cases, obtains exemption for its students from army service. I know this is a very controversial subject that demands a long discussion and review by the Temple's board. Believe me, as a supporter of Israel, it was not easy for me to finally advocate this option. It is equally difficult for me to know that as an American citizen and Reform Jew, some of the aid our government is giving Israel ends up in the hands of Orthodox religious institutes. However, this extreme measure is needed if we are to get the message across in Israel that we want religious freedom and tolerance. Our money has been kosher for many years. However, our Rabbis are not considered Rabbis, those Jews-by-choice that join us in the Reform movement are not recognized in Israel and marriage ceremonies conducted by our Rabbis are not considered legitimate. We cannot remain passive on this issue- we must fight for our rights. I strongly support following the action taken by the Jewish Federation of San Francisco. Based on the reaction they have received, their message has been communicated very strongly to the Israeli government. Finally, I urge all of us to make plans to visit Israel. Visiting Israel is an important part of ones spiritual development as a Jew. We need to send our children on summer programs. We need to show the Israelis the strength of the Reform Jewish Community in the United States. I urge those of you who are able to join the Rabbi next year when he leads a tour of Israel. ARZA has its own travel department and has numerous trips for teenagers, families and adults.

I would now like to ask the Rabbi and Cantor to join me for a brief question and answer discussion period.

Thank you and Shabat Shalom.